Toddler killed in teatime tragedy
Feb 8 2008 by Liz Hands, The Journal
A TODDLER was killed last night when he was knocked down by a car outside his home.
It is believed his father was driving the vehicle.
Neighbours said distraught Neil and Julie Younger, both in their twenties, were being consoled over the death of their son Jake, aged 18 months.
The couple have one other child, five-year-old Owen, who was struggling to come to terms with his little brother’s death.
The tragedy happened outside the family’s semi in Greenford, Kibblesworth, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, yesterday afternoon at around 4pm.
Mr Younger is thought to have been driving a black Land Rover Freelander, which was taken from the scene on a low loader for examination.
Next door neighbour Brian Coulson, 70, a retired laithe turner, said the couple had lived at the house for five years.
He said: “Around 4pm I was in my living room and heard a blood-curdling scream from a child. I rushed outside to see what had happened and I could still hear screaming and the dad shouting in shock.
“At first I couldn’t make out exactly what had happened, but I could see that one side of his 4x4 was raised off the ground. A rescue helicopter was soon there and landed on the school field behind the street.
“I asked a police officer if the little boy was all right and he just shook his head. I knew that he meant he was dead.
“When the dad returned home from work I often saw Jake running outside to greet him as he pulled onto the drive.
“The little lad really loved his dad and his dad’s car. He had a thing about it.
“I think his dad was reversing off his drive at the time rather than pulling on to it.
“They are a really nice family and have been good neighbours to me for five years. I don’t see that much of them, but I’ve never had a problem or a cross word.
“It’s a terrible, terrible thing for them, I can’t imagine what they must be going through at the moment.
“The boy’s dad was inconsolable. He looked a broken man.”
Another neighbour said: “It was a really awful scene to be greeted by; Jake had gone under the wheels and they couldn’t get him out. The emergency services were there quickly, but it looks as though it was too late.
“I feel so sorry for Neil and Julie; they are a lovely couple and Jake was a gorgeous little boy like his brother.
“The whole street is feeling the shock of this; it’s a cruel thing to happen to good people.”
“There was a lot of activity,” said another neighbour.
“The road was cordoned off and a lot of police were knocking around with a police helicopter flying over.
“We haven’t lived here long so we don’t know many people, but there were plenty of them around watching. There was a police helicopter and it landed on the football field just behind all the houses.”
The residential area is a mixed estate – both council houses and privately owned property.
It is a maze of entwining narrow roads that run down towards the scene where the 18-month-old died.
Just before the estate is the local pub, the Plough Inn, and Kibblesworth Primary School is nearby.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “It was a very tragic accident and we can confirm the young boy died from his injuries.”
